WATCH: Bill Maher Says Biden Should Have Called Out ‘Both Sides’ In Anti-MAGA Speech – Insurrection But Also Bakery Lawsuit
Comic and pundit Bill Maher dismissed Catherine Rampell‘s attempt to discuss abortion rights by telling her “It doesn’t affect my life — I ain’t getting anybody pregnant.”
A week ago Thursday, President Joe Biden delivered a speech entitled “The Continued Battle for the Soul of the Nation” that was largely a rebuke of former President Donald Trump and those who support the insurrection that culminated in the attack on the Capitol on January 6. Opponents and media figures criticized the speech as “political” or “divisive.”
On Friday night’s edition of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, the host’s guests were Matt Welch and Scott Galloway, who discussed Biden’s speech with Maher. Maher praised the speech, but said Biden erred in not calling out “both sides.”
While conceding it would be a “false equivalence,” Maher cited the case of a bodega employee whose manslaughter charges were dismissed at prosecutors’ request and a bakery that won a settlement from Oberlin College as items that Biden should have included alongside other threats to democracy.
His argument is that such a speech would appeal to less engaged but persuadable voters:
BILL MAHER: The Republicans own that issue of election denial. Let’s fight… And Democrats have to own all the other the crazy shit where, you know, a bodega guy gets attacked and then he’s brought up on charges because he fought back. Go to war on that.
This bakery in Portland that I saw won a big lawsuit this week because they were accused of racism when they, and they won, I think, $135 million from Oberlin College. Just pick out something.
There’s something every day that Biden could have picked out and said, “And my side has gone too far on this.” And yes, it wouldn’t be equivalent, but the country could then… The people in the middle and the people who don’t want to feel like you’re just attacking my team would be like, “Yes, finally.” And then he could not have to run again.
SCOTT GALLOWAY: The extremists on the left, they want to fire some of my colleagues for making hapless remarks. They want to try and seize social status by acting more virtuous than they are in their everyday lives.
And it’s obnoxious and it’s out of touch. But election denial, wanting to move towards a white Christian nationalist nation that’s just fucking out of control.
BILL MAHER: It is. I mean, I’m not arguing with you.
SCOTT GALLOWAY: One is a dumpster fire. One is a dumpster fire there. The other’s a nuclear mushroom cloud.
BILL MAHER: Okay. But the people who populate this country aren’t watching you or this show right now and just don’t appreciate that difference. And you got to win. You got to win. Win, baby. Just win.
Watch above via HBO.
